Until the End
by moonlightaria
Summary: Long ago in the kingdom of Nozomu, the princess was stolen at only a month old and her kingdom was over run. Now, 18 years later, its up to her and three others to change that. But will they be able to when the greatest battle hasn't even begun?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha; that belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Enjoy!**

This is just a first attempt so please be nice and do review so then I can know where everyone stands with it. Well here we go. . .

Prologue

It was dead silent. The entire palace was asleep except for the occasional night guard. Four figures ran swiftly though the woods toward the fifteen foot high stone wall that was rumored to be impossible to get though on account of all of the magic infused with it over the centuries.

"Now what?" a feminine voice asked as the four masked figures stopped at the base of the wall.

"Now, Yura, we go through it like planned." Responded a deep, husky voice as a figure stooped down and began searching for something in the dark.

There was no moon that night; the entire kingdom of Nozomu had been thrown into complete and utter darkness. This night had been feared for since the queen had found out she was with child. That day, only ten months ago, an old and fragile wicked witch known and feared by all as Urasue came to the queen and cursed her and the king, their child, and the kingdom to destruction a month after the child was born. (_The italicize portion is the witch cursing everyone ten months ago_)

"_You my precious Queen. Born with grace and beauty. And you my strong King. Born with strength and devotion to your kingdom. A child shall be born to you. A girl with eyes as blue as the sky and hair as dark as the darkest night. With lips as red as a rose and skin as white as porcelain. The entire kingdom shall rejoice at her birth._

_But a month after her birth, on the darkest night of the year where neither moon nor stars shall shine, she will be stolen from you by demons and war shall rage across the land led by a dark and evil foe that none can stop. Many and most will die as well as both of you my king and queen. Few will survive the first year of his rule._

_Only eighteen years later will he be destroyed by a girl who has lost everything, a monk who is not, a Halfling who is hated, and a girl who was once lost and now is found. Many dangers will await them and all will be harder than the last. _

_But if the one who was lost shall ever harm those around her before the day of the final battle, either by being controlled or by her own free will, she will die and all will be lost. Take well my King and Queen for your days are numbered. Hahahahah!"_

(What a lovely old woman she is don't you think? :P)

Back to present-

"Found it!" silently cried the stooped figure as he slowly unbended himself and held in his hand an old, heavy key.

"About time Manten," said another figure as he grasped the key out of his younger brother's hand. "Now we can get somewhere."

The figure turned back to the wall and inserted the key into what was before looked like solid stone, but was instead a small stone door that had over time, been covered over with vines. The key slid soundlessly into the hole and unlocked the door. As soon as it as open, the four clad figures slid into the central courtyard and past the dozing guards into the palace.

Knowing the way by heart from memorizing the layout over many hours, the four made their way to the little princess' room.

"How sweet," said Yura as she picked up the sleeping child. " It disgusts me. Can't we just chuck her out the window and be done with it?"

"You know we can't do that" said the voice that had unlocked the gate. "We where payed to kidnap and deliver her safe and sound to the old woman the Lord and Lady instructed us to do."

"Ya, but still Hiten I really want to take a crack at that child."

"Lets go now everyone," said the fourth figure. "We got what we came for. Lets go before we push our luck to far."

With that, three of the clad figures ran out of the room back to where they came from; but as Yura reached to door, she stopped and turned around. Quickly, she picked up a gold locket that had the royal crest inscribed upon it, a raven in flight with 'Omnes Qui Cognoverunt Veritatem' in sliver on its front side.

"Now let that teach them not to challenge us." She laughed as soundlessly as she slipped the necklace around the sleeping princess's neck. Without another glance, she ran out after the other three.

Once all had gotten out of the castle, an alarm went up.

"Shit." Hiten cursed. "Come on people, we have to finish our mission or we don't get payed."

They ran through the woods. Soon, they came to a river that there waited a small rowboat. Once they where inside the boat, almost by magic, it took off into a dense fog as a high pitch scream from the castle could be heard from the castle.

"Looks like the Queen has found us out." Said Hiten chuckling darkly. "What do we do now Rouyakan?" Hiten asked the fourth figure.

"Nothing now until we come to the old woman's village." Responded Rouyakan settling down.

Ten hours later, the boat had followed the river out of the kingdom into the next. Slowly, it drifted until it ran into the bank next to a small village so cut off from other civilization.

"This is the place," said Rouyakan as they got out and ran toward the house farthest away from the rest. "Leave the child on the steps Yuka. Now we can collect our pay."

The four ran off back down to the as an old, hunched over woman opened her door having been awoken by the noise outside her home.

"What's this?" she wondered when she saw the sleeping princess. "Why aren't you the cutest thing ever. Ah! Bless the Gods on high. My wish has been granted. A daughter for me to call my own. You my dear can call me Mother Kaede. Now what shall we call you?" Wondering aloud, Kaede saw to her amazement the locket with Nozomu's royal crest upon it. Opening it, inside was the name Kagome written inside in silver upon the gold surface.

"Kagome," Kaede wondered as she went back inside her house. "What a lovely name. Yes, my dear child, that shall be your name. Now lets come inside and get the place suited to raise a babe."

What do you all think? A good, long prologue have you asking for more? Don't worry, I'll try to give you all a new chapter at least once a week. Good luck to all for now, I'll see you next week! (Maybe ;) )

Moonlight Aria


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha; that belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Enjoy!**

Well here is chapter 1! So excited for it to be out now! Some questions may be answered but more questions will be given. Also, Kagome doesn't know she's adopted, but she has a feeling though about the truth. So without further ado,

Chapter 1 – 18 years later

"Kagome child!" Mother Kaede called running fruitlessly after me. "We need to get you ready for the party. The entire village is going."

I looked back at mother struggling to catch up with me as I ran up the hill from our home. "Just give me five minutes Mother and I'll get ready. I just need to check on the something and then I'll come right back." Turning down the road, I ran off into the deep neighboring forest in the direction of the Goshinboku tree.

"Ah . . ." Mother sighed stopping to catch her breath. For a woman of her age, traveling quickly did not come as easy to her as it used to. "That child shall be the end of me. I just hope she doesn't lose track of time again."

x.x

Stepping into the forest, I turned off the worn road and followed the path down toward the Goshinboku tree with only the occasional sounds of the village, crickets, and the occasional startled bird around me. Traveling deeper into the woods, a weight seemed to come off of my shoulders as I let my guard down. Soon, all sounds of the village where gone, replaced with only nature.

"Oh how I hate living there!" I started talking to myself. "They treat me like I'm a glass figure, only to be looked at and not touched in case I break. Not one of them trusts me to do anything. They might all adore me, but at what cost? And with all of those countless parties they throw, it's exhausting." A bird flittered into my view and sang as if asking me why I don't just leave.

"Don't get me wrong or anything," I answered the bird, "I love a party as much as the next guy but everyone, even the little ones, every time something happens, they act like it is a miracle upon its self. It doesn't help either that there is an underlining fears during the celebrations, like if they don't have fun, something will happen."

"It's just too much." With that, I stepped into the clearing at the ancient tree. It was undoubtedly the largest tree around and wide enough for a house to fit in its place. Sitting down upon one of the roots, I leaned back against its truck and looked up at a worn spot on the tree that wasn't covered in bark like the rest of it was. Looking up at the old tree, its branches waved slightly in the wind, shielding the sun from my eyes. My kimono slid up my legs slightly as I drew them up towards my chest.

"How is it that you stand to be here?" I asked the tree. "Don't you want to leave this area and see the rest of the world Goshinboku? Why did you decide to grow here instead of somewhere else?"

Sighing, I rested my head on the trunk of the tree. "What am I doing? I'm talking to a tree for crying out a loud! A tree! Have I gone completely off the deep end? You know, Goshinboku, if you really could grant wishes like the legend says, then all I want is to leave this village and have an adventure while I'm still young. And most importantly," I whispered quietly to myself as I lifted the locket from around my neck. "I want to find out where this came from and what this locket means."

Looking down upon the script on the front of the locket that still shined as bright as when I first remembered having it, the words still looked as though they where of a foreign language though I had learned to read and write most all of the known languages of the seven kingdoms. Shaking my head, I stood up and started walking back the path towards the village.

x.x

"Kagome child where have you been?" cried mother as I stepped into our small home. "Quickly now, the celebration is about to begin. Let's get you cleaned up."

Pushing me behind the screen, mother left me to scrub myself clean before helping me dress into a silk kimono with a deep blue background, dotted with flowers on a hill side upon it. Pulling up my hair into a bun and slipping in the blue and gold combs, mother stepped back to admire her work.

"Oh Kagome, don't you look lovely. Just like my sister did when she was you age child. Go have fun tonight and don't wander off into the forest. Demons rome these areas at night."

Waving me goodbye, mother watched me head down to the village center. I slipped on my locket as I neared the edge of the village. A tree shucked suddenly as if something big jumped either onto or from it. Standing up straight, I turned around to where the noise came from, but there was no one there. Shrugging off the feeling as if I was being watched, I continued on towards the village. I made it just in time as the sun began to set. The men had pilled up wood in the center of the square for a bond fire. Food was being cooked all around me and the alcohol was brought out.

"For another bountiful harvest this past year!" cried the village leader once the sun had set behind the mountains. "And for another one the next! Now, let's celebrate!"

The village men lit the bond fire in the center of the village and a cry went up from the villagers. Soon the music began, enticing people to dance around the fire. I stayed off to the side as the night warred on. Shortly, one of the village boys asked me dance with him. He was no older than me, though not as tall. Smiling, I agreed, remembering that this was one of the boys mother had attended to after a rafting incident.

The night passed by quickly as the men drank their fill and both the men and women ate theirs. Exhausted, I left the festivities still going strong and headed home. Passing the village edge, I heard the rustling noise again. Freezing, my mind ran through the possible things that could have caused it when I was suddenly attacked.

My arms where pulled up and behind me as my attacker covered my mouth, cutting off my scream. I was forced to my knees as I was bound and gagged. Picking me up, I was carried into the woods surprising fast and dropped roughly into a clearing. Rolling onto my side, I looked up at my assailant and was surprise to see a boy no older than me. The moon light revealed him to have silver hair. He appeared to be completely human but as I looked closer, he had two white dog ears sticking out of his head. My first thought was that I wanted to touch them.

He bent down and snarled at me, yanking off the gag. "Where did you get this?" he asked showing my locket that he some how gotten off me.

"Who are you?" I countered back.

"Mine first." His gold eyes reflected in the moon light, making him appear even more inhuman than he already was.

"Fine," I begrudgingly gave in. "I always had ever since I could remember. There, happy? Now mine. Who are you and what do you want with me?"

x.x

I'll update fast I promise but it probably won't happen till next month so be patient please. Till next time ducklings, Moonlight Aria


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